After the Blast
by yellowrose
Summary: As it says, it's what happened right after the blast. Mainly written to make myself feel better about waiting 4 months until the new season starts!
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I wrote this primarily to amuse myself. What happened next is always intriguing and this season's cliffhanger finale was more inspiring than most. So, I wrote this. I wasn't going to post it, after all, I'm hardly the only one to write about this (I'm sure we all had to scratch that particular itch), but then I figured, why not? No one has to read it, but it made me feel better especially since it's another four months until we find out what really happened!

There are two endings to this. The alternate ending includes character death so I opted to put it second so those who wish to avoid that can read without accidently coming upon it. It's not a long story (by my standards anyway) so I will be posting it all at one time.

As always, I own nothing associated with NCIS. I just like to borrow them for awhile.

CHAPTER ONE

The blast was over. For several long moments nothing more happened. Gibbs slowly lifted his head. The world was eerily silent. He glanced around at the ruins of the forensics lab. The damage wasn't as bad it might have been, given the fact that half of the lab was underground, but it was bad enough. Smoke filled the space. The ceiling was on fire. He suddenly became of a movement beneath him. With a jolt of fear, he remembered Abby.

Sitting upright, his head swam from the concussive effects of the explosion. He steadied himself and looked down, almost afraid of what he might see. Abby stared up at him, Bert the stuffed hippo still firmly clutched in her hand. Her cup of Caf Pow lay beside her, the red liquid pooling like blood near her head. Gibbs tried to speak. He knew he said something, but he couldn't hear. The explosion had at least temporarily deafened him. Abby blinked up at him, her face white with fear. Gibbs took a deep breath then quickly signed.

_Are you all right?_

Abby blinked some more as if it took her mind a few moments to process what his fingers so desperately demanded to know. Then she nodded. Slowly, she pushed herself up to sit beside him. She began to cough. Gibbs looked behind him, back towards the shattered windows. The fire was quickly spreading. They had to get out. Now. The entire building could come down on them. Scrambling to his feet, he grabbed Abby's shaking hand and pulled her up beside him. She looked dazed but quickly followed him out of the lab to the emergency stairwell. Gibbs' only thought was to get her out and to safety.

The scene outside in the Navy Yard was chaos. A crowd of people milled around. Injured and dead lay scattered across the yard. Emergency vehicles were streaming in. Gibbs stared, trying to make sense of it all. He glanced over to the front of the building. It was gone. A large black crater gave testimony to the power of the bomb that had nearly destroyed the building. Cole. He never had a chance. As Gibbs stared dumfounded at the destruction, he gradually became aware of the muffled sound of sirens. His hearing was returning. He felt numb. He turned at the pull on his arm. Abby was moving him further from the building.

Suddenly, Gibbs froze and turned back. Where was the rest of his team? Where were Tony and Ziva? Had McGee made it out? What about Vance? At least he didn't have to worry about Ducky and Jimmy. They were safe in Florida at Jimmy's wedding. He quickly surveyed the crowd looking for any sign of his team. He felt his stomach clench. They had to have gotten out. They'd had plenty of warning. Surely they were out here somewhere. Hopefully looking for him.

The sound of the crowd was becoming increasingly audible. He heard Abby softly sobbing beside him. He could hear the moans of the victims, the cries of those that had cared for them. The dead were silent.

"Gibbs!"

Gibbs turned to see a relieved looking Leon hurrying towards him.

"Thank God, you're alive!" Vance turned to study Abby then back to Gibbs. "Are you both all right? Are you hurt?"

"We're okay, Leon," said Gibbs, but his attention was still focused on the crowd. "Have you seen my team?"

Vance shook his head. "Last time I saw McGee was in the squadroom. He was downloading something off his computer. I told him to get the hell out of there. I haven't seen Ziva or DiNozzo. Hell, I have no idea where anyone is." He gazed at the hellish scene spread out before him, his expression bleak. "My God," he muttered running his hand across his face.

More emergency vehicles were arriving. Firemen were hurrying forward with their hoses in tow, fighting to extinguish the fires. Others were cautiously entering the building in a desperate attempt to locate survivors.

_What about my team? _

Gibbs eyes continued to scan the crowd, as his gut grew increasingly uneasy.

"Gibbs?" Abby still firmly clutched Bert to her chest as if he might protect from the horror around them. "Where are they?" Her voice held a note of panic. "They have to be okay, right?"

Gibbs turned to her. What could he say? Should he tell her that the growing feeling in his gut was telling him that his team was not okay? That they were somewhere inside that blazing ruin? He worked his jaw.

Tears now pooled in Abby's eyes. "They're not okay, are they?" She could read him like a book.

"I dunno, Abs. I just don't know."

Vance had moved on. He was now on his cell phone, a crowd of people hovered around him, waiting for direction, guidance, reassurance. He was the Director and now he was taking charge.

"Gibbs, we have to find them!" pleaded Abby, the tears streaming freely down her white face. "We can't leave them in there!" Gibbs turned and put his arms around her. The shock was finally setting in. He had to keep her calm. But, he also had to find the others. His feeling of desperation continued to grow ever more powerful. His team was in trouble. They needed him, but how was he going to find them? He thought back to what Leon had said. He'd said the last place he'd seen McGee was in the squad room.

Gibbs looked over Abby's head and the charred remains of the front of the NCIS building. It reminded him of those photos from the Oklahoma City bombing. Could anyone in the squad room have survived that? And where would Tony and Ziva be? He believed they were together. He didn't know why, he just did. Probably because they had been the last time he'd seen them. That's how he pictured them now.

The time had come. He couldn't just stand there and watch. He had to go look for them. It was a Marine thing. Leave no man behind. Three of his team members were in there somewhere, and he had to find them, bring them all out safely. He turned back to Abby.

"Abs," he said softly, looking into her eyes, making sure he had her full attention. "I'm going to take you over to one of the EMT people to have them check you out." She started to protest. He believed she was fine, but he wasn't about to leave her alone. "Then, I'm going to go look for Tony, Ziva, and McGee. Do you understand me? I need to know you're safe before I can go find them."

Abby engulfed him in a desperate bear hug. "I don't want you to leave me, Gibbs," she sobbed burying her face in his shoulder. "But you've got to go find them. You've got to save them, Gibbs."

"I will, Abby. I won't stop until I find all of them."

Sniffling, Abby stepped back and gave him a small smile. "I know you will Gibbs."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ten minutes later, after Gibbs had safely deposited Abby in the capable hands of a nearby paramedic, he found himself standing outside the backdoor to the building. The front had sustained all of the damage. From his current position, you would never know that half the building had been destroyed. Between the firemen and the internal fire control systems, the fires were quickly being contained, but Gibbs refused to wait any longer. He had to look for himself.

Gibbs slipped inside the building, closing off the noise of the outside as the door shut firmly behind him. There was smoke in the stairwell, but he had appropriated a gas mask from one of the fire engines before entering in case the fumes became too much. Now, where to start? The squad room would make the most sense. Clenching his jaw, Gibbs began to climb the stairs. He knew where he was going. The question was, what would he find when he got there?


	2. Chapter 2

Tony coughed deeply. The smoke and fumes in the small contained space of the elevator were making breathing more difficult. He silently cursed. What had he been thinking? Getting into an elevator when the whole damn building was about to blow up? Even a five year old knew you didn't get into an elevator in an emergency. God, he was an idiot. Granted, under the circumstances, he hadn't been thinking as clearly as normal. The mob of people trying to swarm down the narrow stairwells had caused him to rethink their escape route. He knew the bomb was at the front of the building. The elevator was toward the back. Surely, that would be okay. Well, he was willing to take the chance. Made more sense than dying in a stairwell with a hundred other people.

He shifted his position from where he was sitting on the debris strewn floor of the elevator. He glanced at Ziva. She leaned against him, cradling her arm, her eyes were closed. The odd angle of her arm left no question as to what was wrong with it. His own head throbbed, the side of his face stiff with caked blood. Still, they were alive. Trapped, but alive.

He thought back to those last moments. When he and Ziva had realized there was no way they were getting down those stairs, they had darted to the back elevators, praying they would reach the ground floor before the bomb went off. Too bad their luck ran out. The bomb detonated. Tony was sure they'd had it when he felt the elevator car lurch and then drop. When the emergency brake grabbed on, both he and Ziva had been tossed around some more. That certainly hadn't helped the situation. Well, he took that back. It did mean they avoided being smashed into the bottom of the elevator shaft. What were some broken bones compared to that?

He sighed and coughed again. He winced at the sharp pain in his head.

"Are you all right, Tony?"

Ziva was looking at him, her eyes dark with concern. She grimaced slightly as she adjusted her position.

"Yeah," replied Tony, his voice hoarse. "Just this damn smoke. Next time, Ziva, make me take the stairs."

Ziva gave him a weary smile. "Well, things could be worse. I could be stuck in the elevator with McGee again. At least you do not get claustrophobic."

Tony grinned back, then frowned. Where was McGee? Had he made it out in time? What about Gibbs and Abby? He and Ziva had been working so hard at getting everyone out of the building, he hadn't even thought to look for the rest of the team. He knew Gibbs could take care of himself, and surely McGee would have been smart enough to get himself out. But what about Abby? Was she okay or was she trapped in her basement lab?

"You are also worried about the others, are you not?"

Tony tried to erase the anxiety from his face, but he couldn't do it. "Yeah, I am. I keep wondering if they all got out. I mean, Gibbs must be fine, but what about Abby and McGee? Where were they? Did they get out?" He glanced around their small prison and cursed softly. "If only we could get out of here. We could go look. I hate this not knowing."

Ziva nodded. "I agree." She looked at the emergency phone. They had tried using it, but to no avail. They had also pushed the emergency alarm, but so far there had been no response. Were they the only ones still alive in the building? Would anyone find them? Tony had attempted to climb up onto the roof of the car, but without Ziva's help, he couldn't quite reach it. Besides, every time he tried standing, he was nearly bowled over by dizziness and nausea. Not a good sign.

"Do you think they will find us?" Ziva's voice sounded strained. She must be in a lot of pain.

"Gibbs will find us." It was funny, but Tony fully believed that. He had no doubt that his boss had survived and was looking for his team. He wouldn't even entertain the thought that Gibbs might have been blown up by that damn bomb. However, he was concerned about the integrity of the building. They had no way of knowing how much damage it had sustained. Was the whole thing about to come down? Granted, they were toward the back of the building, but that didn't mean they were safe. Tony coughed again. The smoke could just as easily kill them as falling in an elevator.

Tony glanced at his watch. The emergency lights in the elevator cast a dim light, but it was enough. They'd only been here an hour. It felt like a lifetime. He reached up and pushed the alarm again. They could hear its shrill ring echoing somewhere in the distance. He pulled out his cell phone again. Dammit. Still no signal.

"I think I'm going to complain to my cell phone provider," grumbled Tony thrusting the phone back into his pocket. "They claim they get coverage everywhere. Obviously they lied."

He heard Ziva chuckle weakly. "Maybe you can get a refund."

Tony grunted then clenched his teeth as a wave of dizziness washed over him. Suddenly, all he wanted to do was take a nap. He closed his eyes.

"Tony? Tony!" His eyes snapped open. Ziva was sitting up staring at him intently. "You cannot go to sleep. You have suffered a head injury. You must stay awake. Besides, I am not sitting here by myself."

Tony detected the slightest tremor of fear in her voice. His eyes widened. The intrepid Ms. David was scared? He wanted to laugh but the truth of the matter was he was terrified. He was afraid no one would find them, that the building would come down around them. What if that sonofabitch Dearing had planted a second bomb? What if the rest of the team was dead? He thrust those fears behind him. It didn't matter. Even if Dearing had planted ten bombs in the building, there wasn't a damn thing Tony could do about it.

He gently placed his arm around her shoulders, careful not to jostle her arm. She moved closer. Her presence was comforting. He looked down at her and a warmth flooded through his body. He looked down at her and suddenly he knew.

"You know," Tony began trying to ignore the pounding in his head, " there was this movie about a WWII RAF pilot. It was called _Stairway to Heaven_. Anyway, he gets shot down and should have died, but the guy that was supposed to take him to heaven missed him the fog, so David Niven, he was the pilot, makes it back to England. Before his crash, he's talking to this American woman on his radio and falls in love with her voice. After the crash, he manages to find her, and really falls in love. When the angel finally finds him, David Niven says that he shouldn't have to go because things have changed. He was ready to die before, but now he's in love. In the end, he has to go to this big celestial court and defend his right to stay alive. Turns out, Niven actually had some kind of brain injury from the crash and the doctor thought he had imagined the whole thing." Tony paused as if in thought. "Maybe that's what this is. Maybe Raymond Massey is gonna show up and make me defend my right not to die in this elevator today.

Ziva turned to frown at him. "But what would you say had changed from before the bomb blast? You said the pilot was ready to die before the plane went down, but not later because he had fallen in love. What has changed for you?"

Tony was silent for a very long time. Finally, he answered, his voice low. "I have discovered that I love you, Ziva David."


	3. Chapter 3

Jimmy Palmer checked his suitcase one last time. He had everything. He stared sadly at the colorful sportswear he wouldn't be wearing at that honeymoon resort in the Bahamas. By this time tomorrow, he would be back in his scrubs at NCIS. He glanced at his watch. Their flight left in a little over three hours. They'd have to be going before too much longer. Maybe he'd better call Dr. Mallard and see if he was ready to go.

Breena sat watching him sadly. They had gotten married just a few hours ago. Her family hadn't been happy about moving up the ceremony, after all the wedding and reception arrangements hadn't been cheap, but they understood. Jimmy was leaving today and she would soon follow. Jimmy had insisted she spend some time with her extended family before coming home to D.C. She had reluctantly agreed. Suddenly her phone rang. She glanced at it, then with a sigh answered.

"Yes, Mom?" She frowned. "What? Are you sure?" Jimmy glanced at her as she leapt to her feet and grabbed the TV remote. A moment later they stood gaping at the image of the ruined remains of the NCIS building. A newscaster was standing outside the building, his face grim. Behind him, scores of emergency vehicles and personnel were scrambling around.

"As reported earlier, a powerful car bomb has been detonated outside of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service headquarters in Washington, D.C. We have no reports regarding casualties, but from what we can see from here, they have been heavy. The bomb took out the entire front of the building. We understand that people were being evacuated from the building just prior to the explosion, but at the moment, we have no idea how many people may have still been inside when the bomb went off. We still have no idea who set the bomb or why. Terrorists are suspected but as of yet, no one has claimed responsibility."

Jimmy's mouth hung open as he stared at the building. He went there every day. It was like his second home. His legs went out from under him and he collapsed onto the edge of the bed still staring at the image on the screen. How could this have happened? The answer came immediately. Dearing. He must have set the bomb. Jimmy's mouth went dry. What of his friends? Abby? Gibbs? Were any of them still alive. He closed his eyes feeling sick. _Dr. Mallard!_ He turned to Breena, his voice urgent.

"Breena, I have to find Dr. Mallard. I have to let him know what's happened."

"He told me he was going walking on the beach." Breena stared at her new husband feeling so helpless. Jimmy had been devastated that his friends from NCIS had been unable to come to the wedding, but he'd understood. He couldn't tell her much about what was going on, just that there was very dangerous nutcase threatening not only the Navy but NCIS. Obviously, he was as dangerous as Jimmy had feared. She glanced at the TV again. Were his friends all right? They were like his family and the loss of any one of them would be hard. This was not an auspicious start to their marriage.

Jimmy leapt to his feet and darted from the room. He suddenly had sense of extreme urgency. He had to find Dr. Mallard right away. He was extremely worried about his mentor. How would take this? He had many friends among the men and women who worked for NCIS. Dr. Mallard was not a young man, despite his seeming never-ending energy. Jimmy knew Dr. Mallard would insist on being in charge of all autopsies. Could he handle it? He would need Jimmy more than ever.

Jimmy reached the beach and scanned the area. The skies were gray, a storm that had held off for the ceremony now threated to unleash its fury. The waves were large and smashed against the beach with a vengeance. Where could the doctor be? Jimmy ran farther out and stared first in one direction, than the other. He saw no one strolling along the beach. The wind whipped the sand into his face. Could the doctor have returned to his room? As Jimmy turned, he noticed a dark shape huddled on the edge of the water. At first, he thought it was a bag of trash but his stomach fell as he identified it as a body.

"Dr. Mallard!" Jimmy screamed as he sprinted across the sand. Dr. Mallard was supposed to be safe. He wasn't in Washington. He hadn't gotten blown up. What could have happened? Jimmy flung himself down onto the sand beside the barely conscious Dr. Mallard. Quickly assessing the situation, Jimmy knew the doctor had suffered a heart attack.

Dr. Mallard opened his eyes for a brief moment. He opened his mouth, trying to talk. He weakly pawed at Jimmy's arm. "NCIS…bomb…"

"Yes, Doctor, I know, please, don't talk! You're going to be fine."

Jimmy frantically searched his pockets for his cell phone, not noticing the doctor's, lying open on the sand. He punched in 911, gave the dispatcher the information then quickly began CPR. He'd be damned if Dr. Mallard died on his wedding day. "Don't you dare die, Doctor!" panted Jimmy. "Don't you dare!"

"Jimmy! Oh my, god, Jimmy, what's happened?"

Jimmy barely noticed Breena's presence beside him. "Heart attack," he grunted. "Watch for the ambulance." Breena nodded then hurried back up the beach to watch for the help that was on its way. Jimmy thought he could just make out the sound of the sirens above the wind and the crash of the waves.

"Please, Dr. Mallard," Jimmy whispered, "Please don't leave me."

xxxxxxxxxxx

Gibbs struggled through the smoke that roiled down the stairwell. His face covered with the breathing mask, his breath rasped abnormally loud in his ears. He counted the floors until at last he reached the door leading to the squad room. He yanked open the door and immediately the smoke cleared. He turned and stared at the gaping hole that used to be the outside wall.

A group of voices nearby caused him to turn. Several people were huddled in front of the elevator. Gibbs ripped off his mask and joined them. "What's going on?"

"Agent Gibbs," said a man Gibbs recognized as Agent Carson. Like himself, Carson was a former marine and had experience in working in bombed out buildings. "Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David are trapped in the elevator between floors. We've got a guy working on the mechanism to try and get them up to here so we can get them out."

Gibbs felt himself go weak with relief. He'd been so scared. He didn't like to admit it, but he cared about his agents more than he'd ever thought possible. "Are they all right?"

Carson shrugged. "Ask them yourself. They can hear you."

Gibbs approached the open door to the elevator shaft. He could see the car several feet below. There was a gaping hole in the top where debris had crashed through. "Tony! Are you and Ziva all right?"

A moment later, a bloodstained Tony peered up through the hole, a broad grin spread across his face. "Boss! You're okay!"

Gibbs gave him a relieved smile in return. "Yeah I'm fine, but what about you two?"

Tony lifted a hand to his head. "Got knocked in the head and Ziva's arm is broken, but we'll live." Tony swayed but quickly steadied himself. "What about Abby and McGee? They okay?"

"Abby's fine." Gibbs hesitated. "I'm still looking for McGee."

Tony was now joined by a pale Ziva. "You have not found McGee?" There was real fear in her voice.

"Not yet, but I'm sure he's fine." Gibbs was not sure of anything of the sort but he had to say something.

"We'll be okay, Boss," said Tony directly meeting Gibbs' gaze. "Go find Tim."

Gibbs nodded then turned back to Carsons. A paramedic stood nearby. "You take good care of them, Tom."

"Don't worry, Gibbs. We will. DiNozzo owes me twenty bucks."

Gibbs now turned his attention to the charnel house that had once been the squad room. Bodies lay strewn amongst the wreckage. A couple of paramedics were going from body to body trying to find the ones that still lived. It didn't seem there were many.

Vance had said this was the last place he'd seen McGee so it made sense to check here first. Gibbs prayed he wouldn't find him here. After the devastation wrought by the explosion, the chances of finding Tim still alive were slim.

Slowly, Gibbs went from body to body, checking each face. He knew each and every one of these people. He had worked with them all to one degree or another over the years. He tamped down his emotions. He couldn't let them get the better of him. It was a trick he'd learned in the marines. You had to detach yourself from your feelings to get through something like this. Still, he couldn't fully push back the fear that he'd find that one face more familiar than the rest.

It was an arduous task. A few of the victims were buried under piles of soaking wet debris. The firefighters had done their job well. Gibbs started at one of the room and methodically checked every body he came across. Some, were already covered by black tarps, others he had to clear away debris to examine. He found none alive. Then he heard a shout.

Gibbs turned and looked over his shoulder. He saw a young paramedic kneeling beside another prostrate form. He was signaling his partner. He'd found a live one. It was first since Gibbs had begun his search. He hurried over just as the paramedic was settling an oxygen mask on the victim's bloodied face. But this time, it wasn't just any victim, it was McGee.


	4. Chapter 4

McGee stood surveying the damage around him. Bodies and wreckage lay all around him. He could see the smoke, hear the screams that gradually faded to nothing but none of it seemed to apply to him. He was beyond all that. He felt no pain, just a feeling of uncertainty. What was going on? He took a step forward, but was yanked back as if someone had tied a rope to him.

McGee frowned. What was going on? He turned then froze. There, at his feet, he saw himself, covered with blood and lying very still. McGee blinked in confusion. How could he be lying on the floor if he were standing here?

"You're dying, Tim."

Tim whirled to find Kate Todd standing just a few feet away. But how could that be? Kate had died years ago from a gunshot to the head. Yet, she looked as real and as solid as ever.

"Kate?"

She smiled. His stomach swooped. He'd always liked Kate. "Yes, Tim, it's me. I'm here to help you."

Tim frowned again. "Help me?" His attention was drawn away by some activity nearby. A man had suddenly appeared at the side of Tim's body on the floor. Tim watched for a moment as the man began to administer aid. Then he looked back at Kate. She too was sadly watching the man.

"You're dying, Tim. You've been badly hurt in the blast."

Strangely, Tim didn't seem surprised. He now remembered the burst of agonizing pain as the explosion had sent him spinning across the room. He looked again at the body at his feet. Funny, he didn't think he looked that badly injured. A few nasty cuts but otherwise, he looked unhurt.

He looked beyond Kate, where the wall had once stood. An immense bright light now took up the sapce. He laughed. "There really is a light."

Kate smiled. "Yeah, I know. Kind of cliché but what can you do?"

Tim felt drawn to it. He took another step. He felt another tug, but it was weaker this time.

Kate noticed his hesitation. "It won't be long, Tim."

It was then Tim spotted another figure moving towards him. His eyebrows shot up in surprise. It was Gibbs. Tim felt a sense of relief. At least Gibbs had survived the blast.

"They all survived, Tim," said Kate as if she read his thoughts. "Ducky has suffered a heart attack, but he'll live."

Tim nodded absently, still watching Gibbs. "That's good."

He moved away another step. The pull was even weaker.

"We're losing him!" snapped one of the paramedics. Another swooped in beside him. Tim really couldn't see what they were doing, nor did he particularly care. The light was calling him.

But then, another voice called him. "Tim!" the voice commanded. "Listen to me. _You will not die_! Do you hear me. Fight it, Tim. Fight, dammit!"

Tim slowly turned, the force of that voice was even stronger than the pull of the light. He frowned in confusion. Gibbs was calling him. Tim always did what Gibbs told him to do. He was torn. He turned to Kate who watched him sympathetically.

"Kate?"

"Tim, you seem to have a choice. You can choose to stay now, and live awhile longer at least, although there is no guarantee you will survive. You just won't die at this moment at this place. You could still die in the ambulance on the way to the hospital or tomorrow or even next week. You've been severely injured. If you survive, you will pay a heavy price. There will be a lot of pain, your life will change. You may never be the same person or able to do the same things you could before the blast."

"And if I choose to go?"

"Then you follow the light and your pain and the cares of this world will be gone." Kate sighed. "I can't tell you what to do, Tim. I wasn't given a chance. Ari's bullet killed me instantly, but you do have one. Only you can decide if it's worth taking."

Tim glanced back at Gibbs. His boss was still calling him, cajoling him to live. Tim took a step back, then another. The tug had strengthened again. He turned to Kate. She smiled and gave him a small wave. "Good luck, Tim. If it means anything, I think you're making the right choice." Then, she was gone.

Tim took a deep breath and turned fully back towards his body. A strong tug yanked him down and in an explosion of pain, he suddenly understood how high the price of survival might be.

xxxxxxx

Gibbs watched as the paramedic began CPR and his partner prepared the defibrillator. "Come on, Tim," Gibbs urged, "Don't give up. Stay with me!"

Images of a battlefield flashed through Gibbs' mind. He could hear himself calling to another young man, begging him to hold on until the medics arrived. But that was then. Another time, another place, but the result was the same. Another young man again stood on the precipice between life and death. But this wasn't Afghanistan or Iraq. This was Washington, D.C. in the middle of a well secured government installation. Yet, Dearing had outsmarted them all and now McGee stood to make the ultimate sacrifice. Gibbs felt ill.

"He's back," sighed the paramedic in relief. He pulled the stethoscope from his ears as two more paramedics arrived with a stretcher. Gibbs watched as the men transferred McGee and securely strapped him in, every movement practiced and smoothly accomplished.

Two of the paramedics lifted the gurney while the third quickly began packing up his supplies, preparing to search for any further survivors.

"What do you think are his chances?" asked Gibbs.

The man paused and looked at the man beside him. "If you want my honest opinion, not good. He's lost a lot of blood. I'd guess he has a ruptured spleen, possibly a lacerated liver, lung damage, and who knows what else. The concussive force of an explosion like that can do a lot of damage that you can't see. He took a big hit." He sighed wearily. "Now, if you'll excuse me, maybe I'll get lucky and find another one. Not many made it out of here alive."

Gibbs watched as the paramedic continued on his grisly tour. Gibbs stood undecided for a moment. He'd found them all and for the moment, they were all alive. He moved back towards the elevators. They were just moving the car up to floor level. Gibbs watched as Carson and another man pried open the doors to reveal the two disheveled agents. Gibbs immediately moved forward embracing them both. He'd almost lost McGee, may still lose him as a matter of fact, and seeing Tony and Ziva battered, but alive, was overwhelming.

"We're okay, Boss." Tony tried to assure Gibbs but a wave of dizziness caused him to stagger. Gibbs quickly readjusted his grip keeping DiNozzo on his feet. A paramedic had already taken charge of Ziva. Tony could hear her protesting that she could walk.

Gibbs looked back at the ruined squad room. "C'mon, Tony, we need to get you and Ziva out of here."

With the help of the paramedic, Gibbs escorted his two agents down the stairs and out of the building towards a waiting ambulance.

"Boss, we don't need an ambulance." Tony tried to pull back but Gibbs tightened his hold.

"You and Ziva need to both get checked out. You've got a head injury and her arm is obviously broken. So shut up, and get in the ambulance."

Tony's expression was troubled. "But…but what about Tim? We have to find him."

Gibbs took a deep breath. "I already did. He's been hurt but should be on his way to the hospital. Like you."

"But you're sure he's alive?" Tony tightly gripped Gibbs' arm. Ziva was already in the ambulance. "You're not lying to me, are you? He's not dead, right?"

"He was alive when the paramedics took him. That's all I can tell you for now. I'm going to try and find out where he is, but you need to go. Get those injuries taken care of." Tony looked torn. "Tony, go. Until you're checked out, you can't do anything to help. The sooner you're cleared for duty, the sooner we can nail that bastard, Dearing."

Tony sighed and turned to the waiting paramedic. Then he looked back. "Cole's dead, isn't he?"

"Yeah."

Tony's shoulder's slumped as he allowed the paramedic to assist him into the ambulance.

Gibbs watched silently as the emergency vehicle began to weave its way through the throng of rescue people, military, journalists and god knew who else. He thought of Cole. There was no way he could have made it out alive. In Gibbs's book, he'd redeemed himself in the end. Suddenly, Gibbs' phone rang. He pulled it from his pocked and frowned. Jimmy Palmer. Why would he be calling? Unless he'd heard about the explosion. Poor kid. Gibbs flipped his phone open.

"Gibbs"

_Agent Gibbs! Thank god, you're all right! What about the others? Are…are they okay? I heard about the explosion._

"Yeah, Jimmy. I'm okay. McGee has been seriously injured but the others should be fine." Gibbs hesitated. "Does Ducky know?"

For a long moment, Jimmy didn't answer. When he did, his voice was shaking. Gibbs felt a frisson of fear run down his back.

_Yes, Dr. Mallard knows and um, well, Dr. Mallard is part of the reason I'm calling. I mean, I wanted to make sure all of you were okay, but I needed to let you know about the doctor. _

Gibbs clenched his jaw but his calm voice belied his growing impatience. "What about the doctor, Jimmy? Is Ducky all right?"

Jimmy's words came out in a rush. _Dr. Mallard as suffered a serious heart attack, Agent Gibbs. I…I found him lying on the beach. I thought he was dead! _Jimmy's voice cracked. _I performed CPR and called for the ambulance. He was still alive when they got him. He'd just found out about…about the explosion there and it was too much for him. I…I'm at the hospital, still waiting to hear how he is. But, I wanted to let you know. I knew he'd want me to call you."_

Gibbs could hear a rushing in his ears as his body went cold. _Not Ducky!_ Gibbs had been so grateful that Jimmy and Dr. Mallard were safe and sound in Florida, out of harm's way. Now, he was in danger of losing not only Tim, but Ducky as well. That son of a bitch Dearing would pay heavily for this.

_Agent Gibbs? Are…are you still there?_

Gibbs took a deep breath. "Yeah, Jimmy, I'm still here."

_I was about to head back to Washington when this happened, but I can't leave Dr. Mallard._

Gibbs wearily rubbed his eyes. He felt a hundred years old. "No, Jimmy, you stay there. I need you to stay with Ducky and keep me posted. Someone has to be with him."

_Thank you, Agent Gibbs. _Gibbs could hear the relief in Jimmy's voice. _I will call you as soon as I know anything. _

Gibbs knew how close Palmer was to the older man and Gibbs couldn't think of anyone else he'd want watching over Ducky right now. He wished he could be there himself, but he knew there was nothing he could do and he was desperately needed here.

_Agent Gibbs, should I call Director Vance? Oh, god, is the director all right? I mean…_

"It's all right, Jimmy. The director is fine. I'll let him know what happened. You just take care of Ducky."

_I will and please, let me know how Tim is and tell the others I'm so glad they're okay._

Then, Jimmy was gone. Gibbs stumbled over to a nearby bench and collapsed onto it, his mind trying to process everything that had happened in the last twenty four hours. It was staggering. And Ducky's heart attack on top of it all. What a nightmare.


	5. Chapter 5

Gibbs shifted in the hard plastic chair in the hospital waiting room. The place was packed with friends and family of victims of the explosion. Gibbs had managed to snag a couple of chairs for himself and Abby who now sat curled up beside him, Bert the hippo still firmly held in the crook of her arm. She was snoring softly. It had taken awhile to track her down after he received the terrible news from Jimmy.

"Gibbs!" Abby cried when she'd spotted him trudging across the Navy Yard. She had tried to remain as close to where he'd left her as possible. "Did you find them? They're alive, right?" She threw herself into his arms, as if she couldn't bear to hear whatever new he had.

"Tony got a nasty hit to the head, and Ziva broke her arm. They were both trapped in the elevator." Obviously, he'd have to go over emergency safety procedures with them again. "It took some work to get them out, but they should be fine." He felt her relax slightly then her muffled voice came again.

"And…and Tim? Did you find Tim?"

Gibbs wrapped his arms around Abby just a little tighter. "Yeah, I found him, Abs. He's been hurt pretty bad. He was in the squadroom which took a big hit. But, he was alive when the paramedics took him out. So don't give up."

Abby was quietly sobbing now. "Oh, Gibbs, why did this have to happen?" Then she looked up at him, hate blazing in her eyes. "We need to get that Dearing and make him pay for what he's done. He tried to kill Timmy and Tony and Ziva. He tried to kill _us_. We've got to stop him before he hurts anyone else."

Gibbs sighed. "We will, Abby, don't you worry."" He paused. "But there's more bad news. Jimmy called me. Ducky's had a heart attack."

Abby's eyes went wide as her mouth formed a perfect circle. She just gaped at Gibbs, unable to speak for several seconds. "Ducky…a heart attack? But…but he's safe in Florida! He can't have a heart attack! No!"

She was shaking violently now, her teeth actually chattering. Gibbs kept his arms tightly wrapped around her. "Jimmy is with him at the hospital. He'll let us know how Ducky is doing as soon as he hears anything. He thinks it was the shock of the news about the bombing." He stroked her hair. "Don't worry, Abs, he's a tough old bird. He won't let this stop him."

Abby tried to smile through her tears, but the grief never left her eyes. "But what about Timmy? He's not a tough old bird. I can't bear to lose another one, Gibbs. Not after Kate."

"I know, Abs, I know. But it's out of our hands." It was then she'd insisted on accompanying him to the hospital to wait for Tony and Ziva and hopefully hear something about McGee. It was just pure luck that all three of them had been taken to the same hospital. Due to the number of casualties, numerous area hospitals were taking in the injured.

It was eight hours before they finally heard anything. Tony had managed to text them. The doctors decided to keep both him and Ziva at least overnight. Ziva underwent surgery on her arm and Tony had suffered a minor, albeit potentially serious, skull fracture. The doctors wanted to keep him under observation. But still there was no word about McGee. Gibbs' concern was growing with each passing hour.

Through the night, the crowd dwindled as people received news concerning their loved ones. Not all the news was good. Gibbs dozed off and on. He occasionally checked in with the nurses' station just in case they'd forgotten there was someone waiting to hear about Timothy McGee.

"I'm sorry, Agent Gibbs," said the head nurse of the night shift. "Things are so crazy right now, the doctors are going from one patient to another without thinking about informing waiting family members. I'm guessing that if he was that seriously injured, he's been treated but the paperwork hasn't been submitted so he's not officially in the records yet." She eyed him sympathetically. "I'll try and find out what I can as soon as I get a moment free."

That was all Gibbs could ask. He knew how busy all the medical personnel were with the huge influx of seriously injured victims. It was just so hard to be patient.

xxxxxxx

"Agent Gibbs?"

Gibbs eyes snapped open. He hadn't meant to fall asleep but the stress of the events over the past several days had caught up with him. He looked up to see the head nurse watching him, an apologetic smile on her face.

"I'm sorry to wake you, but I finally found out something about your missing agent, Timothy McGee."

Gibbs was instantly awake. "Is he alive?"

The nurse nodded. "Yes, at least I believe so. He was in surgery earlier but suffered some kind of set back while in recovery and he's back in surgery again. Blast injuries are notoriously unpredictable. I wish I had better news for you." She sighed. "Another agent has asked to see you. Anthony DiNozzo? He's awake."

Gibbs leaned over and gently shook the sleeping Abby. She opened her eyes and stared at him in confusion. "C'mon, Abs, Tony wants to see us."

Abby struggled to sit up and take stock of the situation. "Tony? We can see him? What about Ziva? And Tim? Have you heard anything about Tim?"

"Tim is in surgery," replied Gibbs pulling Abby to her feet. He looked at the nurse. "Do you know know anything about Ziva David?"

"Uh, yes. I forgot. She underwent surgery for a compound fracture of the left arm. She's sleeping but I'm sure you'll be able to see her later. I expect she'll be discharged in the morning if there are no complications."

Abby clasped Bert to her and looked at Gibbs. "Let's go see Tony. I have to see he's okay."

The nurse nodded and led them down a labyrinth of hallways. There were numerous patients on gurneys still awaiting attention. Most were minor injuries but still needed care. One called to Gibbs.

"Jethro!" called the man. "Any word on what's going on? What the hell happened?"

Gibbs paused and spat one word. "Dearing."

The man's eyes went wide, then narrowed. "_Goddam sonofabitch!_ Two members of my team were killed in that blast!" His voice broke.

Gibbs put a comforting hand on the man's bloodstained arm. "Don't worry, Mark, we'll get him. Even if it's the last thing I ever do."

"I'll be right beside you, Gibbs."

Gibbs nodded and hurried on. Sometimes it was hard to remember that this blast had affected others just as hard, if not worse, than himself. He wondered if killing so many NCIS personnel would appease Dearing's lust for revenge, or would he continue his reign of terror?

Tony sat up in bed, a snowy white bandage wrapped around his brow. He grinned widely as Abby and Gibbs entered his room.

"Tony! Tony! Tony!" wailed Abby as she threw herself in his arms. Tony winced but he tightly hugged her. "Oh, god, Tony, I was so worried about you and Ziva! But you're okay, right? Please tell me you're okay!"

"I'm fine, Abs," said Tony softly as he stroked her hair. "Really, other than a bump on the head, I'm right as rain."

"Oh, your poor head!" Abby gently touched the bandage.

"Really, Abby, it's nothing. Just a bad headache and a few stitches. As soon as they let me out of here, I'll be back on the case." He turned to Gibbs. "Have you seen Ziva? Or Tim?"

"The nurse told us Ziva is still sleeping off the anesthesia from surgery on her arm. Compound fracture, but she'll be fine." Gibbs noted the look of relief in Tony's eyes. "Tim is back in surgery. That's all I know right now." He started to say more when he was interrupted by the soft trill of his cell phone. Heart pounding, he stared at the caller ID. It was Jimmy. He flipped it open, trying to steel himself for the worst.

"Gibbs here."

_Agent Gibbs, this is Jimmy Palmer. I'm sorry it's so late but I knew you'd want to know the minute I heard anything about Dr. Mallard. The doctors said he suffered a mild myocardial infarction, but they performed an angioplasty and inserted a stent. They say he should make a complete recovery._

Gibbs closed his eyes for a moment as he felt a flood of relief course through his body. _Ducky was going to be all right_. He hadn't wanted to admit, even to himself, how scared he was over the possibility of losing the older man.

_Agent Gibbs? Are you there? Dr. Mallard will be okay! _The joy and relief in Jimmy's voice was unmistakable.

"Yeah, Jimmy, I heard you. That's great news. Thank you for letting me know right away. When you see him, tell Ducky I'll call him as soon as I can."

_I knew you'd want to know. I plan to stay another day or two until I'm sure the doctor will be alright and then return to Washington. Breena offered to stay here to look after Dr. Mallard. _Now there was a note of pride in Jimmy's tone. Gibbs had to agree. Breena was a real find.

_Agent Gibbs? _Jimmy's voice continued. _Have you learned anymore about Tim? How are Abby, Tony, and Ziva?_

"Tony and Abby are right here, Jimmy. All I know about McGee is he's back in surgery. Here, Abby wants to talk to you." He handed the phone to the eager Abby.

Tony was watching Gibbs suspiciously. "What's going on with the autopsy gremlin? Shouldn't he be on his honeymoon?"

Gibbs gave him a small smile. "He called to tell me that Ducky is going to be okay."

Tony sat up straighter, his eyes wide. "Ducky? What's wrong with Ducky?"

"Apparently, Ducky had a heart attack when he heard the news about the bombing. Fortunately, Jimmy found him in time and called an ambulance. Just told me the doctors there say he should make a complete recovery."

Tony's breath came out in a whoosh as he settled back against his pillow. "Damn. I figured nothing bad could happen to Ducky and Jimmy down there in Florida. A heart attack?" He shook his head in disbelief. "Damn." He looked back to Gibbs. "But you're sure he'll be all right?"

"That's what Jimmy said."

Tony was silent as he digested this. "Poor Ducky. Not much of a wedding day for Jimmy, huh?"

"No, it wasn't"

Abby handed the phone back to Gibbs. "Jimmy said he'd tell Ducky that you'd call when he's allowed. I feel so bad that all this happened on Jimmy's wedding day."

"How are you feeling, Tony?" asked Gibbs, changing the subject. He felt oddly at a loss of what to do next. Yes, they had to get Dearing, but where should they look now? Had the data on the case been lost? Vance had said he saw McGee downloading something off of his computer. Knowing Tim's conscientious nature, Gibbs would bet it was that data. Question was, where was it now? Had Tim had it on him or had it been lost in the explosion? He'd need to look through Tim's personal belongings to answer that question.

"I'm okay, Boss." Tony. "Ready to rock and roll." He grinned but Gibbs could see the strain.

"You're not going anywhere until the doctors clear you," replied Gibbs gruffly. "Head injuries are nothing to fool around with. Believe, me, I should know."

Tony sighed, knowing when he was beaten. However, Gibbs had no doubt the younger man was trying to figure out how he could convince the doctors to release him as soon as possible.

"Excuse me, are you Agent Gibbs?"

The three of them turned to see a man clad in bloodstained scrubs. The dark circles and gray cast to his stubbled face were testament to his exhaustion.

"I'm Gibbs."

The man nodded and rubbed his eyes. "I'm Dr. Stanley. I understand you've been asking about Timothy McGee?"

"Yeah," said Gibbs stepping forward. The tension and fear had returned. "He's my agent. How is he?'

The doctor ran his hand through his tousled hair. Gibbs wondered how long he'd been on duty. "Your agent's condition is critical. He sustained damage to his lungs, which we identified immediately and took steps to correct. He required surgery for a ruptured spleen and lacerated liver. Later, we discovered he had also suffered a rupture in his gastrointestinal tract and required additional surgery to repair. He has lost a significant amount of blood and there is some risk with sepsis due to the bowel injury."

The room was silent as the three stared at the weary physician.

"What are his chances, doc?" asked Tony, his voice tight.

The doctor shrugged. "Maybe 25 or 30%. He sustained a lot of damage from the impact of the blast. People think most damage is done by the flying debris, but often it's simply the concussive force of the explosion that inflicts the most serious injuries." He sighed. "Do you know how we might contact his next of kin? Someone needs to be able to make decisions concerning his care."

"His grandmother lives in the area and his father is an admiral in the Navy. I'll see that they are informed."

The doctor nodded. "Thanks." He turned but then paused to look at them. "I really am sorry. I wish I had better news for you. But, he is still alive, so that's a plus. Where there's life, there's hope. I've lost more today than I care to think about." Then he turned and wearily shuffled from the room.

xxxxxxxxxx

The morning came just as it always did. The news was filled with little besides continued coverage of the explosion in the Navy Yard. There were interviews with rescue personnel, survivors, people who had lost loved ones. It seemed the tales continually jumped from those of tragedy to those of heroic survival. Vance spoke more than once.

Gibbs had finally returned to his house to take a shower and change clothes. Then, he would return to the temporary agency headquarters that had been set up elsewhere in the Yard. He was exhausted but the few hours of fitful sleep he'd gotten at the hospital would have to be enough. He would eat a quick breakfast and grab some coffee then go back.

Before he'd left the hospital, they'd released Ziva. She had shown no signs of further injury and the hospital needed the bed. She'd been devastated by the news about Ducky and McGee. She'd lost her mother and sister in a bomb blast and this all struck to close to home. Ducky held a special place in all their hearts and they had a hard time imagining the team without McGee's steady presence.

Gibbs had managed to slip into the recovery area for just a moment to see the younger agent. Although Tim's face was somewhat bruised and there were a number of cuts caused by flying glass, there was nothing to outward to indicate how seriously he'd been injured. There were no burns orobvious broken bones. But the presence of the ventilator and all the tubes and machines told another story. He spoke a few quiet words of encouragement to Tim before the nurses chased him out. It was then he'd called Penelope Langston, Tim's irrepressible grandmother.

She'd been terribly worried as had the rest of Tim's family. No one could find out any information on what had happened to Tim and when he had failed to call and reassure them he was well, their fears only multiplied.

Gibbs sighed. It had been a painful call, but it could have so much worse. He could have been calling to tell her Tim was dead. He glanced at his watch. She was probably at the hospital by now. Tim's parents were currently in California but Gibbs was sure they would be here before the day was out. He wasn't sure where Tim's sister, Sarah, was since she'd graduated from Waverly College. But, Penny would get word to her.

So, that was it. At the moment, his team was alive if not well. Hopefully Tony would be released soon. Ziva was already chomping at the bit, ready to get back to work, as was Abby. As for Ducky and Tim, well, time would tell but one thing was certain, they were out of this fight. Even if they both survived, it would be some time before they'd be fit for duty.

Gibbs reached into his pocket and pulled out a small thumb drive. He'd found it amongst Tim's belongings. It was all the information they had put together on the Dearing case. Gibbs studied it. The information on this drive was invaluable, but was it worth McGee's life?

Well one thing was certain, he would make sure Tim's sacrifice was not wasted. Dearing was a dead man. Slipping the drive back in his pocket, Gibbs headed for the door. It was going to be a long day.

THE END

If you do not wish to read the alternated ending which includes character death, read no further!


	6. Alternate Ending

"Agent Gibbs?"

Gibbs eyes snapped open. He hadn't meant to fall asleep but the stress of the events over the past several days had caught up with him. He looked up to see the head nurse watching him, an apologetic smile on her face.

"I'm sorry to wake you, but I finally found out something about your missing agent, Timothy McGee."

Gibbs was instantly awake. "Is he alive?"

The nurse nodded. "Yes, at least I believe so. He was in surgery earlier but suffered some kind of set back while in recovery and he's back in surgery again. Blast injuries are notoriously unpredictable. I wish I had better news for you." She sighed. "Another agent has asked to see you. Anthony DiNozzo? He's awake."

Gibbs leaned over and gently shook the sleeping Abby. She opened her eyes and stared at him in confusion. "C'mon, Abs, Tony wants to see us."

Abby struggled to sit up and take stock of the situation. "Tony? We can see him? What about Ziva? And Tim? Have you heard anything about Tim?"

"Tim is in surgery," replied Gibbs pulling Abby to her feet. He looked at the nurse. "Do you know know anything about Ziva David?"

"Uh, yes. I forgot. She underwent surgery for a compound fracture of the left arm. She's sleeping but I'm sure you'll be able to see her later. I expect she'll be discharged in the morning if there are no complications."

Abby clasped Bert to her and looked at Gibbs. "Let's go see Tony. I have to see he's okay."

The nurse nodded and led them down a labyrinth of hallways. There were numerous patients on gurneys still awaiting attention. Most were minor injuries but still needed care. One called to Gibbs.

"Jethro!" called the man. "Any word on what's going on? What the hell happened?"

Gibbs paused and spat one word. "Dearing."

The man's eyes went wide, then narrowed. "_Goddam sonofabitch!_ Two members of my team were killed in that blast!" His voice broke.

Gibbs put a comforting hand on the man's bloodstained arm. "Don't worry, Mark, we'll get him. Even if it's the last thing I ever do."

"I'll be right beside you, Gibbs."

Gibbs nodded and hurried on. Sometimes it was hard to remember that this blast had affected others just as hard, if not worse, than himself. He wondered if killing so many NCIS personnel would appease Dearing's lust for revenge, or would he continue his reign of terror?

Tony sat up in bed, a snowy white bandage wrapped around his brow. He grinned widely as Abby and Gibbs entered his room.

"Tony! Tony! Tony!" wailed Abby as she threw herself in his arms. Tony winced but he tightly hugged her. "Oh, god, Tony, I was so worried about you and Ziva! But you're okay, right? Please tell me you're okay!"

"I'm fine, Abs," said Tony softly as he stroked her hair. "Really, other than a bump on the head, I'm right as rain."

"Oh, your poor head!" Abby gently touched the bandage.

"Really, Abby, it's nothing. Just a bad headache and a few stitches. As soon as they let me out of here, I'll be back on the case." He turned to Gibbs. "Have you seen Ziva? Or Tim?"

"The nurse told us Ziva is still sleeping off the anesthesia from surgery on her arm. Compound fracture, but she'll be fine." Gibbs noted the look of relief in Tony's eyes. "Tim is back in surgery. That's all I know right now." He started to say more when he was interrupted by the soft trill of his cell phone. Heart pounding, he stared at the caller ID. It was Jimmy. He flipped it open, trying to steel himself for the worst.

"Gibbs here."

_Agent Gibbs, this is Jimmy Palmer. I'm sorry it's so late but I knew you'd want to know the minute I heard anything about Dr. Mallard. The doctors said he suffered a mild myocardial infarction, but they performed an angioplasty and inserted a stent. They say he should make a complete recovery._

Gibbs closed his eyes for a moment as he felt a flood of relief course through his body. _Ducky was going to be all right_. He hadn't wanted to admit, even to himself, how scared he was over the possibility of losing the older man.

_Agent Gibbs? Are you there? Dr. Mallard will be okay! _The joy and relief in Jimmy's voice was unmistakable.

"Yeah, Jimmy, I heard you. That's great news. Thank you for letting me know right away. When you see him, tell Ducky I'll call him as soon as I can."

_I knew you'd want to know. I plan to stay another day or two until I'm sure the doctor will be alright and then return to Washington. Breena offered to stay here to look after Dr. Mallard. _Now there was a note of pride in Jimmy's tone. Gibbs had to agree. Breena was a real find.

_Agent Gibbs? _Jimmy's voice continued. _Have you learned anymore about Tim? How are Abby, Tony, and Ziva?_

"Tony and Abby are right here, Jimmy. All I know about McGee is he's back in surgery. Here, Abby wants to talk to you." He handed the phone to the eager Abby.

Tony was watching Gibbs suspiciously. "What's going on with the autopsy gremlin? Shouldn't he be on his honeymoon?"

Gibbs gave him a small smile. "He called to tell me that Ducky is going to be okay."

Tony sat up straighter, his eyes wide. "Ducky? What's wrong with Ducky?"

"Apparently, Ducky had a heart attack when he heard the news about the bombing. Fortunately, Jimmy found him in time and called an ambulance. Just told me the doctors there say he should make a complete recovery."

Tony's breath came out in a whoosh as he settled back against his pillow. "Damn. I figured nothing bad could happen to Ducky and Jimmy down there in Florida. A heart attack?" He shook his head in disbelief. "Damn." He looked back to Gibbs. "But you're sure he'll be all right?"

"That's what Jimmy said."

Tony was silent as he digested this. "Poor Ducky. Not much of a wedding day for Jimmy, huh?"

"No, it wasn't"

Abby handed the phone back to Gibbs. "Jimmy said he'd tell Ducky that you'd call when he's allowed. I feel so bad that all this happened on Jimmy's wedding day."

"How are you feeling, Tony?" asked Gibbs, changing the subject. He felt oddly at a loss of what to do next. Yes, they had to get Dearing, but where should they look now? Had the data on the case been lost? Vance had said he saw McGee downloading something off of his computer. Knowing Tim's conscientious nature, Gibbs would bet it was that data. Question was, where was it now? Had Tim had it on him or had it been lost in the explosion? He'd need to look through Tim's personal belongings to answer that question.

"I'm okay, Boss." Tony. "Ready to rock and roll." He grinned but Gibbs could see the strain.

"You're not going anywhere until the doctors clear you," replied Gibbs gruffly. "Head injuries are nothing to fool around with. Believe, me, I should know."

Tony sighed, knowing when he was beaten. However, Gibbs had no doubt the younger man was trying to figure out how he could convince the doctors to release him as soon as possible.

"Excuse me, are you Agent Gibbs?"

The three of them turned to see a man clad in bloodstained scrubs. The dark circles and gray cast to his stubbled face were testament to his exhaustion.

"I'm Gibbs."

The man nodded and rubbed his eyes. "I'm Dr. Stanley. I understand you've been asking about Timothy McGee?"

"Yeah," said Gibbs stepping forward. The tension and fear had returned. "He's my agent. How is he?'

The doctor looked at them, his eyes full of grief. "I'm so sorry. I…I couldn't save him. The damage was just too severe. The effects of such an explosion on the internal organs can be devastating. I wish there had been something more we could have done." He ran his hand through his graying hair. This was not the first time he'd had to deliver bad news this day, but it only got more difficult.

Abby broke down immediately, throwing herself sobbing into Gibbs' arms. Gibbs felt numb. _Not another one. _Kate had been difficult enough, but for seven years, Gibbs had nurtured McGee from an insecure, terrified probie into a confident, capable agent. It was like losing a son.

"Do you know how we can contact his next of kin?" asked the doctor quietly.

"I'll do it," said Gibbs trying to regain his focus. He tightened his arms around Abby's shaking frame and glanced over at Tony. Tony's stricken face said it all.

Tony felt cold. He couldn't believe McGee was dead. _No!_ It wasn't possible. McGee _must_ have gotten out. He was smart. He would know to get out immediately. He wouldn't have dawdled. They must have mistaken him for someone else. Yes, that was it. They had the wrong guy. With all the injured people coming in, it would be easy to mix up victims' identities. He looked to Gibbs for reassurance, but there was none. Gibbs' expression was the same one Tony had seen when Kate had died in their arms. It was a combination of shock and grief so deep that Tony knew there had been no mistake. McGee was dead.

Tony closed his eyes as a wave of dizziness washed over him. His head began to throb worse than ever. He wanted to cry, scream, punch something. But most of all, he wanted this not to be true. He wanted his partner back. How many more times was he going to have to go through this? Kate, Paula Cassidy, Mike Franks, and now Tim. It was getting to be just too hard. He wanted to go find Ziva, wrap her in his arms and keep her safe. He looked over to where Abby still sobbed in Gibbs' arms. Her ragged grief stabbed him through the heart. He yearned to take away her pain. None of them were safe, not in this business, but why did the bad guys always have to exact such a high toll? How many others, all good people, had died today? All because of one monstrous, crazy son of a bitch by the name of Harper Dearing.

xxxxxxxx

The morning came just as it always did. The news was filled with little besides continued coverage of the explosion in the Navy Yard. There were interviews with rescue personnel, survivors, people who had lost loved ones. It seemed the tales continually jumped from those of tragedy to those of heroic survival. Vance spoke more than once.

Gibbs had finally returned to his house to take a shower and change clothes. His plan was to then return to the temporary NCIS headquarters Leon had already established and continue the hunt for Dearing, but first there was a stop he had to make.

Penelope Langston lived in an old nineteenth century Victorian, her love of plants evident in the elaborate displays of shrubs and flowers surround her home. It looked like something out of a fairy tale. Gibbs felt like the Big Bad Wolf about to come in and destroy the idyll.

He stood outside the door for a few moments composing himself. He was still having trouble accepting the death of his youngest agent. He fingered the small thumb drive in his pocket. He'd found it among Tim's personal belongings. It contained everything they'd discovered related to Dearing. It was invaluable, but was it worth Tim's life?

Gibbs took a deep breath and knocked. It was still early and Penny's car was in the driveway. She must be home. Several moments later, she appeared looking drawn and exhausted. For a moment her eyes lit up at the sight of Gibbs, then all the color drained from her face.

"He's dead, isn't he?" Her voice was flat, expressionless.

"Yes." Gibbs looked directly into her dark, empty eyes. As an admiral's wife, she'd had plenty of experience burying her emotions.

"You'd better come in, Agent Gibbs." Gibbs followed Penny inside. The interior was a riot of color with flowering plants everywhere. The place was cluttered but in a homey sort of way. Gibbs approved.

Penny had settled into a wingback chair. Gibbs sat on the couch across from her. He took a deep breath.

"Ms. Langston, I can't tell you how sorry I am about Tim. He was one of the best agents I've ever worked with."

Penny's eyes narrowed as she studied Gibbs. There was a dreadful pain in her eyes but she was very much in control of herself. "Why? Why did he die?"

Gibbs briefly explained what he could concerning the Harper Dearing case.

Penny was silent for a very long time. "So, you're saying because of a problem in the wiring, a ship exploded killing Dearing's son, and now he's trying to get revenge? Is that it? You're saying that some lunatic killed dozens of people because of his _son_?"

"Yes, ma'am, I'm afraid that's about it."

Penny stood and began to pace. "When we heard about the explosion, I immediately called my son. He's an admiral, as I'm sure you know, and yet, he couldn't find out anything concerning Tim. We had no idea if he was hurt or killed or just unable to call. It was the uncertainty that was so hard." She turned to study Gibbs. "But, I'm sure you understand that."

Gibbs nodded. He understood all too well. Not knowing was so much harder to bear than finally learning the truth no matter how painful.

Penny stared out the window at the rose garden beyond. "How did he die, Agent Gibbs?" Her voice was faint.

"He was in the squad room, downloading information on the case to a thumb drive. Director Vance told him to get out, but it was too late. He was still there when the bomb went off just outside. He died of internal injuries."

A tear now trickled down Penny's cheek. Impatiently, she brushed it away. He knew she wouldn't lose control as long as he was there, but he hated the idea of her mourning alone. She turned to him, her eyes now blazing.

"Was it worth it, Gibbs? The information on that drive? Was it worth my grandson's life?"

Gibbs's jaw tightened. No, it wasn't worth Tim's life, but he would damn well make sure it counted. If the information on this drive helped them stop Dearing even one second sooner, saving even just one more person's life, then maybe Tim would have felt it was worth the sacrifice. Penny was still watching him, expectantly.

"I don't know, Ms. Langston. Without this information, our investigation would be set back significantly. With it, I hope we can bring down Dearing that much sooner saving the lives of future victims."

Penny's lifted her head and nodded. "If Tim knew that his death would save the lives of others, then he wouldn't hesitate. Just make sure his sacrifice is not wasted, Agent Gibbs. You bring down this Dearing asshole before he kills anyone else." She wiped the tears from her cheeks and wrapped her arms around herself. "I…I hope your other agents are all right?"

"Yes, ma'am, they will be."

"Good." Again a long silence. Gibbs wondered if he should leave.

"Agent Gibbs," Penny was looking at him again. "I just want you to know how much I appreciate what you did for Tim. I've seen the changes in him since he started working for you. You let him shine."

"He did that himself. He was extremely talented."

Penny smiled faintly. "Yes, he was, but he was so much more than that. He was such a decent, good hearted person. Law enforcement was the last thing I would have expected Tim to choose as a career. But that was what he wanted to do and you gave him the opportunity. You believed in him. If only his father had."

This last was so faint, Gibbs barely heard her. He knew McGee's relationship with his father was strained. Tim had spoken to his father for the first time in seven years just a few months ago. Tim never spoke about what happened or if things had improved.

Penny sighed deeply and lowered herself back onto the sofa. Tears, unnoticed, still trickled down her cheeks. "I'll have to call Michael and let him know. God, it'll kill him." She shook her head. "My son is not a demonstrative man, Agent Gibbs. His idea of love was trying to "improve" his son. Nothing Tim ever did was good enough for Michael. He kept saying Tim could do better. After awhile, that begins to whittle away at a person's self-confidence. But, still, Michael loved Tim more than his own life. I knew it ate at him how estranged they'd become, but he's proud and bullheaded, just as his father was. Perhaps that's a requirement for being an admiral, but it didn't win him any points with Tim."

Penny closed her eyes. Gibbs could see her fighting to maintain her composure. He reached out and gently took her hand.

"I am sorry, Ms. Langston. Tim meant a lot to me and to the entire team. We're like a family and losing Tim will leave a very large hole that will never be filled. I've lost loved ones. I know. If there is anything we can do, please, don't hesitate to ask."

Penny smiled at him through her tears. "Agent Gibbs, don't let time get away from you. My son will spend the rest of his life regretting that he let his only son drift away. There will be no second chances. Tim…Tim is gone." She abruptly stood and turned away from him to again stare out the window.

"Thank you, Agent Gibbs. For…for everything. But, if you don't mind, I think I would like to be alone now."

Gibbs rose and stared back at her helplessly. He wished there was something he could do or say to help ease her pain, but she had erected a wall and would keep it there as long as she needed to protect herself. He turned to leave.

"Gibbs." Penny's voice was rough with anguish. "Kill that son of a bitch."

"I will."

A moment later, Gibbs stood outside his car. Sorrow lay upon him like blanket of lead. He took a deep breath. Grieving would have to wait. Right now, he had a job to do and Dearing would pay for what he did even if was the last thing Gibbs ever did.

THE END

If you read this far, thanks! Like I said, I mainly wrote this to make myself feel better about waiting four months for Season 10 to begin when we'll find out what really happened.


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